JUSTICE LEAGUE - WILD CARD

Now some people say that gambling is a mugs game. You can't win. You can only loose. And generally you're left without a penny in your pocket. Heck, the only way you can win at this game of chance, is if you dress up as a playing card and then rob a casino. Here, you can see a demonstration of this within this 45 minute cartoon made in 2004.

Whilst investigating some strange comings and goings at a
Las Vegas Casino, Batman and the Justice League suddenly discover that the
Joker has taken over the airwaves, planted a number of bombs throughout this
vast neon-ridden metropolis, and recruited the Royal Flush Gang to stop them
from tracking down these explosive devices.

Hey! Wait a minute, folks! You do know who the Royal Flush Gang
are, don't you? What's that? No you don't! Well, they're a motley crew of
meta-human teenagers, who Mister J broke out of a government facility that held
them against their will.

For example, there's Jack: the stretchable sod that Batman
has to fight before his particular bomb goes off. Then there's Ten: who is the
brutish thug Superman takes on for the very same reason. Next there's the King:
the fire-throwing fiend who gets right up the Flash's nose. And finally there's
the Queen: a somewhat spiteful character that Green Lantern faces, not so long
before his.... BOOOM!... mechanism does some damage?

No. Don't fret comic book fans. Thanks to Hawkgirl, GL just
about manages to survive this bold encounter. However, I can't say the same
thing about the residence of SinCity!
Hell no. Especially not when the Joker unveils his final gang member -- Ace --
who is one crazy brat, in more ways than one!

Still, that's most probably why what next transpires all goes
to pot when Harley Quinn tells Batman that she's been going to marriage guidance.
As the League splits the deck - a plan goes straight to heck - a mad person
goes astray -- plus please-please remember, do have a very nice day.

Ka-Ching!

THE REVIEW:

Now I only have
one small gripe about 'Justice League - Wildcards'. The origin of the Royal
Flush Gang is very different from the original. Apart from that though -- nah
-- I think that this is a brilliant animated adventure. Full of character,
hi-jinks, intrigue, and suspense; making it one of my all time favourite
episodes of this series.

Yeah. I'm not kidding, dear reader. There were a number of
things I thought were a right blast about this cartoon. For instance, I liked
the way that the Joker acted as a pseudo-narrator to his own shenanigans.
Allowing him to comment on what he feels about the individual member of
the Justice League, as well as the origins of his teenage accomplices.
Furthermore, I did like the brutality and the honesty about this piece too.
Particularly the 'Fantastic
Four' inspired fight-scenes between the League and the gang, plus the interpersonal
relationships between Hawkgirl and Green Lantern.

Granted, I know that some of you out there in cyberspace felt
that this 'Kendra and John subplot' was unneeded within the confines of this secular
tale. But to me, personally, I didn't mind it at all. I thought that it added a
nice little resolution to this story, and was a long way in the coming.
Moreover, it also allowed the ending of this adventure to end on a more
positive note. Subtracting what could have been a somewhat obtuse conclusion to
a somewhat action-packed and dynamic episode.

Here, before I gush about 'Justice League - Wild Cards' any
more, let's have some Royal facts, shall we? (1) This episode was first aired
on the same day that the American wrestler Jerry 'The Wall' Tuite, passed away
-- the 6th of December, 2003.
(2) The Royal Flush Gang was created by writer, Gardner Fox, and artist, Mike
Sekowsky, in Justice League of America,
#43, March 1966. (3) Originally the 'RFG' was the brainchild of the 'good luck'
villain known as Amos Fortune; who was the pug-faced schmuck that cobbled them
together in the first place to pit against the Justice League of America.
(4) The second version of the 'Royal Flush Gang' was set up by the Green Lantern
villain, Hector
Hammond. But they didn't last long though. Oh no! They folded when the pack
split. (5) Although their roster has changed slightly over the ages -- once
including the likes of either the Joker or the aforementioned two founders --
by in large this 'gang' comprised of an Ace, a King, a Queen, a Jack, a Ten, and
someone called Wild Card. (6) During the mid nineteen-eighties, Maxwell Lord
famously used this gaggle of goons to trick his way into the fledgling 'Justice
League', with some inadvertent help from the time displaced hero, Booster Gold.
(7) For a short period of time, Jack changed his name to 'Hi-Jack', and became
a member of the 'Secret Society of Super Villains'. (8) Not only does this gang
appear in this cartoon, but they've also appeared in ' The Super Powers Team:
Galactic Guardians', 'Justice League Unlimited', 'Batman Beyond', 'Batman: The
Brave and the Bold', an episode of 'Arrow', plus the feature length animated
movie, 'Justice League: Doom'.

Overall 'Justice League - Wild Card', is a really great
cartoon. It's like watching a satirical version of the film 'Casino',
just replace Joe Pesci with the Joker, replace Joe's gang with the 'Royal Flush'
one, and then replace Robert
De Niro and Sharon Stone with the Justice League. Trust me. It may work.
Don't you agree, Ten?